customs and courtesies have been established throughout the marine corps history. These customs include proper greetings, saluting, and showing respect for the proper ranks. the proper greeting should always be given to any office and non officer alike. officers should be greeted even if they are uncovered, your greeting will be recognized by a greeting of the day. The marine corps is based on many principals, one of these is customs and courtesies, customs are the usage or practice common to many or class, or a habit practiced by an individual. and courtesies is polite behavior or a considerate act, overall the meaning is to just be polite.
in my opinion customs and courtesies were set as a guideline and were meant to show respect from one person to another, although the meaning has dropped and the concept is widely abused today. when properly used, courtesies show a person has discipline and respect for authority. marines are known for being polite and respectful at all times, and are subject to carry themselves as such.
when a person shows respect, he is respected. a respected person builds dependability and shows character. one of the key marine corps traits is dependability. A custom is an established practice. Customs include positive actions—things you do, things you avoid. All established arts, trades, and professions, all races of people, all nations, and even different sections of the same nation have their own practices and customs by which they govern a part of their lives.
one underestimated custom is the salute. The way you salute says a lot about you as a marine. A proud, smart salute shows pride in yourself and your unit and that you are confident in your abilities as a marine. A sloppy salute might mean that you’re ashamed of your unit, lack confidence, or at the very least, that you haven’t learned how to salute correctly. A marine addressing a higher ranking officer uses the word sir or ma’am in the same manner as a polite civilian...